The McDonald's Coffee Hack For A Take On An Italian Classic

When you think of sophisticated yet simplistic Italian food, McDonald's doesn't typically come to mind. However, in this rare case, you can get a twist on an Italian classic, colloquially dubbed the McAffogoto, simply by driving through the fast food window. Start by ordering an espresso shot and an ice cream sundae (hold the hot fudge). Once you've got your two items in hand, simply pour the warm espresso over the delightfully cold ice cream. Since McDonald's soft serve is well-known for being so smooth, it creates the perfect base for the bold coffee. This melts some of the cool treat for deliciously luxe bites where the bitter espresso turns mellow and rich from the thick, sweet base, creating a crescendo of flavors.

Better yet, while it might not be the first-line choice for fine Italian cuisine, this efficient "McAffogato" hits all of the notes that are in the traditional kind. After all, the word affogato literally means "drowned," which makes sense when fresh espresso douses vanilla ice cream, or gelato in the classic rendition. This version does just that while serving as a double-duty dessert since it contains some caffeine too. However, why stop at pouring espresso over a sundae when you can make other affogato-inspired treats by combining additional items from Mickey D's menu? 

If you're in the mood for something cool and refreshing, stir an espresso shot into a vanilla milkshake for a deliciously sippable creation that combines all the flavors of affogato without the need for a spoon. If you'd prefer some mocha-inspired flair, incorporate the coffee into a chocolate shake instead, where the bittersweet notes in the brew will amplify the cocoa in the beverage. While an OG affogato wouldn't feature hot fudge sauce, there are no hard and fast rules that yours can't. Leave the thick fudgy condiment in the sundae before dousing it in espresso to get delicious scoops of rich chocolate and melted ice cream in every bite. Or, instead of fudge, opt for a caramel sundae, which imparts butterscotch-like notes into this Italian-style treat. 

For serious sweet tooths, try combining the dark brew into your favorite McFlurry. It stirs into the soft serve easily, creating a coffee-flavored ice cream that pairs perfectly with the crunchy, creme-filled crushed Oreo cookies for little bites of dessert heaven. Another sinfully sweet treat idea is to order an espresso, an Oreo McFlurry, and — drumroll please — a warm chocolate chip cookie. Break it into pieces before tossing them into the espresso-soaked McFlurry. As you stir it all up, you'll get plenty of softened cookie bites with a delectable coffee-soaked yet still vanilla-forward base that's to die for. Or, whenever McDonald's releases new McFlurry flavors, consider adding a shot of espresso to them for a tasty, and totally well-deserved, Italian-inspired caffeine kick.